Want better storytelling? Go old school.

Today's channels and technology make it easy to quickly create a new communication to our prospects. That allows us to react quickly and spin up new stories faster than ever before. While that's an advantage, it can also lead to our storytelling becoming fragmented. How do you combat that? Go old school.

Stories building on stories

Going old school means thinking about your efforts as a campaign. It's an old term from the world of advertising. But it has lots of merit when you think about creating an effort that feels connected and sustainable. Campaign thinking helps you develop a story that spans time and mediums. One story builds on another.

Finding a campaign idea

How do we find that idea with depth, or one that feels "campaign-able"? Here are 5 questions that help evaluate our thinking.

1. Is it relevant? Does it have meaning in your audiences' lives? Does it help them solve a challenge or take advantage of an opportunity?

2. Is it compelling? Does it capture and hold attention? Does it spark conversation? Does it beg to be shared?

3. Is it simple to express? Can everyone comprehend it quickly? Is the language easy to understand?

4. Can it accommodate multiple interpretations? Does it have the depth that allows it to encompass multiple meanings? Can people engage with it in different ways?

5. Can it work across mediums? Is it flexible enough to work no matter where you are communicating?

Finding an idea that is campaign worthy is no small feat. But putting in the time upfront can result in an idea that is relevant, meaningful, and extendable. It doesn't matter that getting there may be old school. Because the results are timeless.